UNIF and other partners

Our Major Partner 

The University of Fondwa (UNIF)

The major focus of uFondwa USA is our inspirational partner, UNIF.
To see the website of UNIF click here, (UNIF website currently under construction). 

Founded in 2004, UNIF’s mission is to educate young Haitian men and women in order to create wealth in rural Haiti. UNIF  maintains three schools of study: Agronomy, Veterinary Science (Haiti's only!), and Business Management.

      

Throughout their course of study, students spend significant time in their home rural communities working in practical application with the knowledge and skills they acquire in the classroom. In addition to traditional classroom -based learning, students engage in community needs and resource assessment and education, which guide them in development of senior thesis projects required for graduation.

What makes UNIF Unique?

• Located in the mountains of Fondwa, UNIF is Haiti’s only rural university.
• UNIF understands, respects and seeks to build on the knowledge and experience of rural peasants who represent nearly 1/2 of Haiti’s population.
• UNIF offers unique opportunities for individuals and academic institutions in the U.S. to partner in their efforts through educational exchanges and rural community-based research.
• Education is the key to the development of the future leaders of Haiti!

Students in Haiti interested in applying to the University of Fondwa (UNIF) can contact UNIF’s administrative team in Haiti. UNIF is in the process of developing its own website, where interested students can apply, and where current students can stay connected and learn online. The UNIF site will be in French, English, Spanish, and Creole, and will include in-depth profiles on students and faculty, more detail on the curriculum of each field of study, goals of each college, post-graduation employment opportunities, published results from UNIF research, and other updates direct from rural Haiti. Once this site goes live, uFondwa USA will link you to it.

UNIF strives to create wealth in rural communities so that all in Haiti may achieve their full human potential and live with dignity.

Core Values of UNIF

UNIF's Core Values

• Solidarity with the poor
• Mutual respect and inclusion
• Respect for knowledge and traditional values of Haiti’s peasant population
• Spirituality
• Democracy
• Spirit of service
• Entrepreneurship
• Respect for the environment

Because of the synergy between UNIF and its surrounding community, uFondwa USA also supports other grassroots development projects in Fondwa and rural Haiti. 

Asosyasyon Peyizan Fondwa or The Peasant Association of Fondwa 

 

APF's mission is to reinforce the community of Fondwa Haiti, as well as, other local grassroots organizations throughout Haiti so that they can create wealth in their own rural communities.
The current APF Programs in Fondwa include:

Basic Infrastructure creation and improvement (roads, buildings, irrigation, etc.);
Environmental protection, renewable energy, and reforestation (solar power, tree planting, agricultural best practices, etc.) 

• Access to drinking water, health care, financial services, and food security (potable water, clinic, credit union, orphanage, radio station, etc.)
• Education through a primary/secondary school for 600+ regional children and Haiti's first rural peasant university, the University of Fondwa (UNIF)
• Small businesses including Restaurant Lakay, construction material depot and transportation services
• Several post-earthquake construction projects continue
• And, finally, we take what we have learned about creating economic activity and community organizing to other rural communities throughout Haiti through our Local Development Committee (LDC) program

The Sisters of St. Anthony of Fondwa

The Sisters of St. Antoine of Fondwa was founded in 1996 by Sister Simone, Sister Carmelle, and Father Joseph Philippe, CSSp. They came together in 1994 with a common vision for God’s call to work for the rural poor of Haiti. In 1996, they officially became the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Anthony of Fondwa.  The Sisters run a school, orphanage, clinic, restaurant, and agricultural/technical programs. uFondwa USA recently assisted the Sisters of St. Anthony of Fondwa to rebuild their convent destroyed in the 2010 earthquake. 

The Father Joseph Network (FJN)

FJN is an umbrella organization that nurtures collaboration and spirituality – harnesses expertise and experience - among the organizations founded by Fr. Joseph Philippe, CSSP. The organizations founded by Father Joseph include Fonkoze (founded in 1994), the Peasant Association of Fondwa (APF, founded 1988), the Sisters of St. Anthony of Fondwa (founded 1996) and the University of Fondwa (UNIF, founded 2004). FJN focuses on supporting the development efforts of grassroots organizations and creating wealth in rural Haiti.